Autumn and Summer
by SassLikeGerard
Summary: Autumnpaw and Sandpaw had known each other their whole lives. Autumnpaw then finds out a secret her mother, Rain, has been keeping from her for her entire life. Autumnpaw then feels as if she doesn't belong, and runs away, leaving her life in the Clans behind. Will Autumnpaw ever come back? And what will her longtime friend, (And maybe something more) do about her choice to leave?
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, this is my first story, so please, don't judge me. I'm looking forward to writing this story, since it's been on my mind forever, and I hope you enjoy reading it!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I simply own my OCs listed below, and the plot of the story. The story is rated T for Warriors! Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Autumn and Summer:**

OCs:

Autumnkit – A light golden brown tabby she-cat with lighter golden brown stripes and dark, friendly amber eyes.

Sandkit – Light golden tabby tom with bright blue eyes.

Silverkit – Silver-grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Graykit – Big, dark grey tabby tom with amber eyes.

Rain – White she-cat with a blue-grey speckled pelt and blue eyes.

**Prologue:**

Rain poured and thunder clapped outside the camp. Lightning lit up the clearing every so often. In the midst of the storm, a patrol came running into the camp, pelts drenched from the rain. The leader of the patrol, a dark brown tabby tom, was holding a soaking wet bundle in his jaws. That bundle was a tiny she-kit. The she-kit mewled in protest, and the brown tabby placed the kit on the ground as their leader, a flame-colored tom, padded over. The leader pf the patrol explained the entire story, and the ginger tom beckoned the medicine cats to come, when the kit started shivering. One of the medicine cats, a light brown tabby, began licking the kit's light golden brown tabby pelt the wrong way. The kit eventually stopped shivering, as a white and blue-grey speckled queen watched from the nursery. Her kits had been apprenticed recently, and the milk she had left had not dried up yet. She padded over to where the light brown tabby had wrapped herself around the cold kit.

The light brown tabby kit jumped away from the medicine cat, padding over to the queen on tiny, unsteady legs. The kit looked up at her with dark, wide amber eyes. The speckled queen purred and the she-kit curled up underneath her. The queen purred again, looking up at the medicine cats, who nodded their heads. The queen nudged the kit to her feet, guiding her to the nursery. She curled around the kit, and looked over at one of her denmates, a white she-cat with ginger patches, whose kits were suckling at the queen's belly. The other queen purred, amusement in her one blue eye, after seeing what happened outside the nursery. The speckled queen simply purred, then turned her attention back to her new kit, who had curled up in the curve of her belly. She blinked, thinkig of a name for the tiny she-kit.

"Autumnkit. That's sounds like a good name." The queen murmured.

The ginger-patched queen purred with approval at her choice, then curled around her three kits and fell asleep.

"I know you'll grow up to do great things for this Clan, Autumnkit." The queen purred, stroking the kit's beautiful pelt, before falling asleep herself.

Unbeknownst to the queen, the kit, newly named Autumnkit, heard the queen's words in her head. They repeated over and over again, before the kit finally fell asleep.

"_I know you'll grow up to do great things for this Clan, Autumnkit."_

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**And that's a wrap! I also want to let you know that I will probably do a backstory-kind of-fic on Rain, one of the OCs in this story. I already have plenty ideas for it, and her backstory will probably have two stories to it. In the next chapter, we will meet Rain's other daughters, (Who will be in one of the fan fics for Rain's backstory) and we'll get to see the kits' apprentice ceremonies!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back! Now, it's time to get into the actual story! I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Warriors characters. I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

Autumnkit played outside the nursery with the other kits, Sandkit, Silverkit, and Graykit. It was the day of their apprentice ceremonies, and their mothers were giving them time to play. It would probably be the last time, after all. Autumnkit watched Sandkit and Silverkit pounce on Graykit, who was the biggest kit out of all the kits. Autumnkit joined in, pouncing on the big gray kit. Graykit squirmed underneath all their weight, complaining.

"Get off me!" Graykit said, trying to shake them off.

The other three kits looked at each other, and nodded. They all jumped off the other kit, and he sighed with relief.

"Why do guys always jump on me?" Graykit asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Silverkit asked.

"Loosen up, Graykit. It's the day of our apprentice ceremonies." Sandkit told his brother.

Autumnkit nodded in agreement with Silverkit and Sandkit. It wasn't that she didn't like Graykit, it was that the gray tabby could be cocky and overpowering at times. Any other time, he was really kind and sweet.

"Okay, just for you." Graykit replied, a bit sarcastically, rolling his eyes playfully.

"Who do we pile on next?" Silverkit asked.

The four kits looked at each other, waiting for one of them to volunteer. Autumnkit didn't want to, because out of all the kits, she was the smallest. It wasn't because she was underfed or anything, she was just simply small.

"Not me." Autumnkit squeaked, her tail waving the air.

Graykit looked from Sandkit to Silverkit and back again. He was waiting for either of them to go. Autumnkit guessed Graykit understood she was small, and it wouldn't be fair to her. Sandkit and Silverkit looked at each other, as if begging the other to go.

"Why don't you do it?" Silverkit asked.

"No, you should do it." Sandkit replied.

These were the things Autumnkit would never do. She'd never have little arguments with her littermates, because she didn't have any. But there was her older sisters, Icepaw and Moonpaw.

"Why don't we ask Icepaw?" Autumnkit chimed in, breaking up the tiny fight.

The other three kits looked at her, nodding their heads. Icepaw was an apprentice, and training to be a warrior. She was going to be given her warrior name any day, or at least that was what she told Autumnkit.

"Do you know where she is?" Silverkit asked, cocking her head slightly to the side, as if trying to figure out where the snowy white apprentice would be.

"It's still pretty early, so maybe she's still in the apprentices' den." Autumnkit replied.

"But we can't go in there! We'll get our ears cuffed by the apprentices!" Sandkit said.

"Only if we wake them up." Silverkit pointed out.

"Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you." Sandkit replied.

Autumnkit purred, almost wishing she had a littermate. For now, she was happy with her older sisters. The four kits padded towards the apprentices' den, watching to make sure no one was watching them. The four kits poked their heads into the apprentices' den, and Autumnkit spotted Icepaw's pure, snowy white pelt. It almost glowed in the dim light of the den.

"Wait here." Autumnkit told the others quietly.

The other kits nodded, while Autumnkit padded catiously into the den. She padded lughtly over to her older sister's nest, raising a paw. As she was about to wake the apprentice, a call rang through the clearing.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Icepaw stirred in her nest, and Autumnkit was sure that she'd wake up. She mouthed to the other kits to go to their mother, while she planned a reason to be in the apprentices' den. The kits padded away, while Icepaw woke up, blinking sleep from her blue eyes.

"Autumnkit, what are you doing in here?" Icepaw asked, confused.

"Waking you up for our ceremonies, silly!" Autumnkit replied.

The answer seemed to be enough for Icepaw. Autumnkit padded out of the den with her sister, seeing Brightheart grooming Sandkit, Silverkit, And Graykit, with Graykit ducking out of the way. She heard Icepaw sat something in her ear.

"Good luck." The apprentice mewed with amusement in her voice, before she padded over to the crowd that was gathering.

Autumnkit padded over to Rain, who didn't ask where she was. Autumnkit assumed the others must have told her. Her mother began grooming her, and she didn't duck, just to make it go faster. After her fur was smoothed down, she padded with the other kits to where the Clan had gathered. They parted to let the soon-to-be apprentices through. Their leader, Firestar, looked proudly at the four kits.

The ginger tom began the ceremony, giving each kit their new name and mentor. Graykit became Graypaw, Silverkit became Silverpaw, and Sandkit became Sandpaw. Graypaw got Dustpelt as a mentor, Silverpaw got Dovesong, and Sandpaw got Foxleap, Autumnkkit's father. Then, Firestar came to Autumnkit. Autumnkit was sure she'd burst with pride and excitement if Firestar didn't hurry up.

"Autumnkit, from now on until you earn your warrior name, you'll be known as Autumnpaw. Your mentor will be Cloudtail." The ThunderClan leader said.

The four new apprentices turned to face the crowd, who in turn chanted their new names.

"Graypaw! Silverpaw! Sandpaw! Autumnpaw!" The crowd chanted.

Autumnpaw felt so proud, not only of herself, but the others as well. She stood there, letting the sound of her Clanmates' voices fill her ears.

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**And that's chapter 2! I would like to tell you that some of my other OCs will be in this story. An example is Dovesong. Please note that I "own" these cats, as they are my OCs. If you like any of the OCs in this story and you would like to use them, please PM me and give me credit in your story. I would also like you to change the character somehow. I promise I'll leave a review and read your story if you do! :) Also, tell me if this was too long or too short! Thanks!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, hello! I would like to say that this chapter takes a bit of a turn. I also have important announcements at the end, so stay tuned! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

**Sandpaw's POV**

Sandpaw padded into the clearing, a mouse in his jaws. It had been a moon since he and the others were apprenticed, and he'd just finished a hunting lesson with his mentor, Foxleap. Sandpaw found it quite funny that he and Autumnpaw had the other's father for a mentor. Speaking of Autumnpaw, Sandpaw was curious as to where the light golden brown tabby was. At that moment, she appeared from the elders' den, holding a ball of dirty moss in her jaws. She padded over to him, putting the moss down so she could speak.

"Hey, Sandpaw." She greeted in her soft voice.

"Hi, Autumnpaw." Sandpaw replied.

Sandpaw had to admit he thought Autumnpaw was pretty cute. She was friendly, and a skilled hunter, too. He never told Autumnpaw about his feelings, in fear that it would ruin their friendship. Maybe Autumnpaw didn't feel the same way, and that would just hurt him if he ruined their friendship, and chased her away. Then, he noticed a scrap of moss on her ear.

"You got some moss on your ear." Sandpaw purred, flicking the moss of with his tail.

Autumnpaw raised a soft paw to her ear, then scowled playfully at him. She even purred back.

"We'll see how you look after spending the morning cleaning out the elders' den." Autumnpaw replied, picking up the moss ball.

Sandpaw only purred as Autumnpaw padded away, towards the dirtplace tunnel. He wondered if Foxleap had anything for him. Sandpaw padded over to where the reddish tom was underneath the Highledge with Autumnpaw's mentor and Sandpaw's father, Cloudtail. They seemed to be discussing something, and Sandpaw was sure he heard he and Autumnpaw's names. Hoping the two warriors wouldn't think he had been spying on them, he padded over to them.

"Hey, Foxleap, is there anything for me to do?" Sandpaw asked his mentor, politely.

The two toms turned to face him, and Sandpaw hoped he hadn't done anything wrong. He then realized that there weren't any strange looks on their faces.

"Yes, Cloudtail and I are going to take you and Autumnpaw on a border patrol, to the WindClan border." Foxleap replied.

"Would you fetch Autumnpaw for us, too?" Cloudtail asked.

Sandpaw nodded, turning and padding in the direction of the dirtplace tunnel, where Autumnpaw had disappeared. Just then, the light golden brown apprentice appeared, without the ball of dirty moss. Sandpaw ran towards her.

"Hey, Autumnpaw, Cloudtail and Foxleap want us to go on a border patrol with them." Sandpaw said.

"Okay." Autumnpaw replied, padding next to him back to their mentors, who were waiting for them.

"Ready?"

The two apprentices nodded their heads, following the older cats out through the thorn tunnel, setting off towards the WindClan border.

The four ThunderClan cats padded approached the WindClan border, the apprentices following their mentors. Sandpaw spotted a group of smaller cats on the other side of the border, assuming a WindClan patrol was marking their border. The mentors instructed their apprentices on what to do, then took a few steps back to let the apprentices mark the border. Each apprentice did what their mentors did, marking the border. Then, Sandpaw heard a voice sneer:

"Look who it is. The poor kit who was abandoned in the middle of a storm and taken in by ThunderClan." The WindClan tom sneered.

Sandpaw noticed that it was Harespring, who wasn't the nicest cat in WindClan.

"What?" Autumnpaw asked, obviously confused.

"No one told you? I'm not surprised. I guess you never knew you weren't Clanborn." Harespring replied.

"How would you know? How do I know if you're telling the truth? You don't live in ThunderClan!" Autumnpaw said.

Sandpaw wanted to do something, but he had no idea what to say. Harespring just snickered at what Autumnpaw said.

"Firestar told everything at the Gathering after they found you. And your mother isn't Rain. Even she isn't Clanborn." Harespring replied with a snicker.

"Don't say that about her!" Autumnpaw said, her voice raising.

Sandpaw looked back, hoping their mentors would break things up, but they were talking, not noticing the fight. Sandpaw was about to say something when a voice called.

"Harespring, let's go!" The voice shouted.

Harespring let out a sigh, but not without some parting words to Autumnpaw.

"Remember what I said, because it's the truth. And the truth hurts, doesn't it?" Harespring said, snickering and running up the moorland hills.

Autumnpaw turned, looking on the verge of crying, and ran into the forest. The sudden motion snapped Foxleap and Cloudtail out of their conversation. Sandpaw hurled himself after Autumnpaw, knowing what cat she was going to talk to. He had to stop Autumnpaw. He ran faster, his paws pounding on the ground. He heard Foxleap and Cloudtail's speeding pawsteps behind him. When he arrived at the camp, he crashed into the thorn tunnel, ignoring the pain of the thorns that scratched his pelt. He saw Autumnpaw running over to Rain, and bolted after her.

"Autumnpaw!"

He was too late, though. The apprentice had already reached Rain, and asked the she-cat a question that turned heads and shocked Rain. Sandpaw sighed.

_Autumnpaw. No!_

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**Alrighty, switching up the POVs! Now, onto my announcements and stuff. I realize that I do not have a cover image for this story, and I would love to have one. If you have a DevianART account, or something along those things, and could make a picture for me, please PM me. I'll PM you back all that I want in the image, and I'll also make sure to give you credit for it. I will also make a poll for my next story when I'm close to finshing this one. I'm aiming for 10 or more chapters, so stay tuned!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's Chapter 4! This chapter is pretty dramatic, if you remember what happened in the last chapter. I'm really excited to control this story, so onto Chapter 4!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

**Autumnpaw's POV**

Autumnpaw burst into camp, running over to Rain, the cat Autumnpaw had believed was her mother her whole life. Tears nearly blinded her vision when she reached the speckled she-cat. Rain looked at her with concern in her blue eyes.

"Autumnpaw, what's wrong?" Rain asked.

Autumnpaw heard pawsteps crash into the camp, but she ignored them. She needed to know the truth. She opened her mouth and uttered one question.

"Are you... my real mother?" Autumnpaw asked.

Autumnpaw saw heads turn, and gasps came not only from Rain, but many other cats in the clearing. She even heard Sandpaw call her name, but even he knew it was too late. There was no taking back her words. Autumnpaw was expecting Rain to say she was her mother, but the reaction she got almost made Autumnpaw feel guilty. The blue-grey speckled she-cat's eyes filled with sadness, and she began crying.

"I'm so sorry." Rain murmured quietly.

"What do you mean?" Autumnpaw asked.

"I'm sorry that I never told you the truth! You deserved it, but I was too scared and reluctant to tell you." Rain replied.

Autumnpaw felt eyes boring into her pelt. All the attention was her, as well as Rain. There wasn't any shock from the cats as Rain admitted to not being her mother. Every cat must have known she wasn't Clanborn. Harespring was right. But that also meant these cat probably hated her, right? Maybe Sandpaw hated her, and was just acting as her friend. Autumnpaw felt out of place, and truly dejected. Autumnpaw knew she didn't belong here, and she ran towards the thorn tunnel. ThunderClan would probably chase her out sooner or later, anyways.

As she approached the thorn tunnel, Sandpaw jumped into her way. His blue eyes reflected her own sorrow, and they almost convinced her to stay. But she just couldn't stay.

"You can't leave!" Sandpaw said.

"I have to. Goodbye." Autumnpaw replied quietly.

Autumnpaw pushed him gently out of the way, much to Sandpaw's confusion and shock. The sandy pale ginger tom jumped in front of her again. Autumnpaw just couldn't bring herself to growl or push him out of the way again. Instead, his mother, Brightheart drug him out of the way, holding her son back with her tail.

"This is her choice, Sandpaw. Let her go." Brightheart murmured.

Autumnpaw once again felt extremely guilty, and almost wanted to stay again. She still knew she couldn't. Sandpaw would have to let her go, if he really was her friend. With regret, and a broken heart, she turned, fleeing the camp through the thorn tunnel, not bothering to look back at Sandpaw's sad, heartbroken face. As she raced through the forest, her ears pounded and she could hear Sandpaw's voice in her ears. She ran faster, until she was almost out of breath. Ironically, she was at the WindClan border, where she'd been just a little while ago. She saw the shape of cat sitting across the border, and when she looked closer, it was none other than, Harespring, the last cat she wanted to see.

"What did I tell you? The truth hurts!" Harespring snickered.

Harespring's words from earlier echoed in her head:

_Remember what I said, because it's the truth. And the truth hurts, doesn't it?_

Somehow, Autumnpaw found the strength to say something back.

"Why don't you go away before I claw your ears off?" Autumnpaw retorted.

"I would love to see you try." Harespring replied.

Autumnpaw hissed and unsheathed her claws, managing to make the WindClan tom flinch and back away. Autumnpaw laughed a bit, before running away from the WindClan border. Soon, she found herself at the end of Clan territory. She was going to be leaving the only home she ever knew. Some part of Autumnpaw said that she never really had a home, but Autumnpaw knew that ThunderClan had been her home. Once. Autumnpaw stepped lightly over the border, breaking into a run again, wanting to run as far as her legs would take her.

* * *

Sandpaw tossed and turned in his nest, not able to sleep. He knew exactly why. He was too worried about Autumnpaw, and was scared that she was hurt or in trouble. Sandpaw knew that Autumnpaw wanted to come back, but she wasn't going to let herself come back. Maybe it was just her pride. She didn't want to run away, only to come back a few days later and look like a fool. Maybe other cats were going to let her stay away, but Sandpaw wasn't. He was going after her, because she meant everything to him, and he couldn't imagine life without her. Sandpaw quietly rose from his nest, careful to not wake the other apprentices. The sand-colored tom padded quietly into the moonlit clearing, heading towards the dirtplace tunnel. When he walked out into the dirtplace, Autumnpaw's scent lingered faintly on the ferns waving in the night breeze.

Sandpaw hid in the ferns, careful not to alert the cat who was guarding the camp. It would be terrible to be caught. When he was a safe distance away from the camp, he broke into a run, knowing Autumnpaw had a head start. Sandpaw wasn't going to simply let Autumnpaw go, like Brightheart, his own mother, had told him to do. A gust of wind blew, nerly knocking the apprentice off his paws. The wind also brought Autumnpaw's scent to him, and he followed it. It smelled pretty fresh, too. It was probably because his father, Cloudtail, was the best tracker in ThunderClan. After following the scent, his paws became weary. He was already tired in the first place, so he found a bush to sleep under. Picking up feathers and moss from around the bush, he made himself a nest. Sandpaw curled into his makeshift nest, the bush sheltering him from the wind. The thought of knowing Autumnpaw was out there, and he was going to find her, lulled him to sleep.

* * *

Sandpaw blinked open his eyes, jumping up, prepared to start searching for Autumnpaw. He found that his makeshift nest and the bush he had slept under was too longer there. Instead, he was in a starry forest, the stars and moon shining in the sky. Sandpaw ran through the forest, until he found a clearing, with a blue-grey she-cat sitting in the middle of it. She watched Sandpaw through clear blue eyes.

"Bluestar!" Sandpaw said, running up to the former ThunderClan leader.

Sandpaw remembered hearing stories about the great ThunderClan leader. He remembered hearing how she sacrificed her own life for the Clan she loved.

"I knew you'd come." Bluestar replied, starlight shining in her blue eyes.

"Bluestar, what should I do about Autumnpaw? I think she belongs in ThunderClan, but voices in my head are telling me she's not worth it. Should I turn back?" Sandpaw blurted out to the former leader.

"I only have one piece of advice for you." Bluestar replied.

"What is it?" Sandpaw asked.

Bluestar didn't reply, but Sandpaw heard her voice whisper in his ear:

_Follow your heart, it will never fail you._

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**And that's it for this chapter! I just had to add some StarClan and Bluestar into this story. There were probably be a lot of StarClan in or mentioned, in this story. Just look at my list of some of my favorite cats from this series. I would like you to tell me in your review how many of them are actually dead, because I swear, every cat I like dies! Poor me! xD **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm sorry for not updating for a few days, because I was busy with school, getting sick, and yesterday was also my birthday! So, I'm back with a new chapter! (Yay!), and I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

**Autumnpaw's POV**

Autumnpaw trudged along, tired from running. She had barely gotten any sleep, and the sleep she did get was haunted by nightmares. It came to the point that she was scared to go sleep, afraid of it might bring. It'd been a couple days, and so far, she hadn't gotten any food. Her stomach growled at that moment, as if to remind her how hungry she was. Autumnpaw began pondering whether it was the best choice to run away from ThunderClan, with the knowledge of a moon of apprentice training. She was sure she would run into trouble, and with how little knowledge she had, she probably wouldn't know what to do. And if she into a fight with a fierce rogue cat, Autumnpaw shuddered at what would probably happen to her.

Ultimately, she felt very alone and unsafe. She wished Sandpaw were here to keep her company and protect her. Autumnpaw knew Sandpaw well, and he would never run away from his Clan with her or for her. At this time in the morning, he was probably still snuggled in his nest in the apprentices' den. He would probably have a much better day than her. He would hunt and learn some battle moves. He would do everything without her, for the first time in their lives. For the first time in their lives, they would be separated. But Autumnpaw wanted to know if he would come after her if had the choice, but that was a question only he could answer.

"I miss you, Sandpaw." Autumnpaw murmured, sitting down.

Autumnpaw was so used to having the Clan bustling around her, that it was a surprise to hear silence. Complete, utter, silence. And that silence also scared her, because it screamed the truth. That she was alone, and no one was coming for her. ThunderClan didn't want her back, and Sandpaw probably didn't, either. No one wanted anything to do with her. She didn't belong.

As Autumnpaw padded along, she spotted something moving the distance. The brownish-gray fur and fluffy tail gave it away. It was a squirrel, and it had no idea she was here. Autumnpaw went down in the hunter's crouch, remembering everything Cloudtail taught her. She crept forward, placing each paw slowly in front of the other. She got closer and closer the squirrel, who still had no idea of her presence. The squirrel turned away, giving her a chance. She crept a little bit closer, than pounced, catching the squirrel off guard. She gave the squirrel a swift bite to the neck to kill it. It was a neat catch, and she was proud of herself.

_Thank you, Cloudtail._

Autumnpaw carried her fresh-kill to a nearby bush, crawling under it. She ate the squirrel in quick bites. The bush seemed like a nice place, so she made herself a makeshift nest. She was tired beyond believe, and sleep came over her quickly.

* * *

Sandpaw padded on, still hearing Bluestar's words. With every step he took, her words echoed in his head:

_Follow you heart, it will never fail you._

Going after Autumnpaw, even if it was like chasing the clouds, was what his heart wanted. He was following his heart. He wasn't going to let Bluestar, ThunderClan, or Autumnpaw down by turning away. Bluestar had pretty told him to continue on, ThnderClan needed a great warrior, and Autumnpaw needed to come back. She didn't understand how much ThunderClan needed her, and how much he needed her.

It had been a few days since his dream from Bluestar, though. She hadn't visited him since, so he had know idea if he was doing the right thing. He just wanted Autumnpaw back, or to at least see her again. She could be out there, scared and alone, thinking no one would save her. Sandpaw wanted to be the one to save her, and bring her back to the Clans. It was her home, and where she belonged. Sandpaw wondered what everyone was doing back home. They for sure noticed he was gone by now. He just hoped Bluestar would make sure they didn't worry too much. He was sure to face a lecture from Brightheart when he returned. If he came back without Autumnpaw, that would be more of a reason for her to yell at him. Sandpaw knew he would be able to brace himself. He just didn't want to come back empty-pawed.

As he padded along, he spotted a glimmering shape ahead. It was the shape of a cat, to be exact. He ran over to the shape, thinking it was just his imagination. Now that he was closer, he could make out a dappled tortioseshell pelt and friendly amber eyes. Her pelt and eyes shone with starshine, showing that she was a StarClan cat. It was no doubt the former ThunderClan medicine cat, Spottedleaf. She seemed to notice that he knew her.

"I'm here to help you, little one." Spottedleaf said.

"Okay." Sandpaw replied.

All of a sudden, a mouse appeared in the StarClan she-cat's jaws. She placed it down, pushing it towards him. He looked up at her cautiously.

"It's for you. You need your strength, little one." Spottedleaf told him.

With that, Sandpaw nodded and sat down to eat the mouse. He finshed it in a few hungry bites. He hadn't noticed just how hungry he was. Spottedleaf purred as he swiped his tongue over his jaws. He rose back up to his paws.

"Good. Now, there is something important I must tell you." Spottedleaf said, her face becoming serious.

"Okay." Sandpaw replied.

When she spoke, her mouth moved slightly, and her voice was a whisper. Sandpaw strained his ears just hear her.

"_The summer sand will travel far, to make sure the autumn leaves return."_

And with that, the former medicne cat was gone, but not without leaving a packet of travelling herbs for him. He ate the herbs, hating the bitter taste, but feeling a new surge of strength rush through his body. As he continued on, he thought about Spottedleaf's important words. They must be a prophecy, right? That was something for a medicine cat to think about. But Sandpaw did wonder, why would Spottedleaf tell him, instead of Leafpool, or Jayfeather, or even Moonpaw. Sandpaw shook his head to clear his thoughts, as he had a best friend to find.

* * *

**Yes, our first prophecy! I'm very good at making prophecies, but this one was a little hard for me. Seriously, just message me something you want a prophecy of, and I'll make it. I'll even make one you can use in a new story. Just give me two cat names, and I'll do my best. Also, I HAD to put Spottedleaf in this story. I love her too much to keep her out of StarClan, but as you know, this is my own story and my own plot for it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Bye!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back again! Sorry, I once again was busy yesterday and couldn't update this story. But I do promise to try and update as much as possible. I will most likely update on the weekends, and I plan to at least post a new chapter every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will most likely not update on the weekdays, because I'm far too busy with school. But I may be able to update sometimes on the weekdays, but it's not very likely. Enough of me, enjoy the chapter!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

**Autumnpaw's POV**

Autumnpaw pulled herself to her paws, after a night with surprisingly no nightmares. The light golden brown tabby shook her pelt out, padding away from the bush. Today was a bit cooler than usual, and judging by the sky, it looked like it would rain. Autumnpaw would need to find some shelter before it came.

Even if she wasn't born in ThunderClan, she'd always found comfort under the trees. It was strange to her, being out in the open. She wondered how WindClan could deal with bad weather, and even deal with it on normal days. Autumnpaw hoped Harespring shivered every night, after what he did. Autumnpaw noticed the outline of the mountains becoming less and less fainter. In fact, she could see them from where she stood. Maybe she'd get to visit the mountains, and find some shelter, hopefully before any rain fell.

Autumnpaw continued on, even breaking into a run until she came to a stop at the foothills of a steep hill. Autumnpaw had to dig her claws into the soft ground to climb it. She made it too the top, where she looked out at the land in front of her. She saw flat, rolling land, leading up the mountains. She would reach the mountains today. Autumnpaw took down the hill, almost losing her footing and falling. She stopped, panting at the bottom of the hill, then ran after catching her breath. She ran quickly, out of breath by the time she reached the foothills of the mountains. She climbed, higher and higher, until she reached the top. She took a few steps forward, before feeling something hard slam into her side. She blinked, seeing a skinny brown tom on top of her, pinning her down.

"I knew you Clan cats would come back! Where's the rest of the group?" The tom snarled.

Autumnpaw blinked, confused. She had no idea what this tom was talking about. She'd heard stories about the Clan cats visiting the mountains, but never heard one about crazy cats that jumped out at other cats and accused of things.

"What are you talking about?" Autumnpaw asked, after taking a huge gulp.

"You smell like those Clan cats! Now tell me the truth and you won't get hurt." He replied.

"I'm not with anyone! I came alone!" Autumnpaw hissed back, smacking the tom with an unsheathed paw.

The skinny tom yelped and jumped off her, hissing. He looked at her through angry, slitted eyes, and Autumnpaw was ready for the tom to launch himself at her. But instead, the tom turned and ran away, not without spitting vengeance at her.

"Curse you, Clan cats!"

Autumnpaw laughed as the tom ran away. He reminded her of a cowardly Harespring, although Harespring was pretty cowardly himself.

"Hey, not bad." A voice said behind her.

Autumnpaw snapped around, seeing two cats standing, watching her. They flicked their amused gazes from the fleeing tom, back to her.

"Who are you?" Autumnpaw asked, not in a rude manner.

"I'm Stormfur, and this Brook. We're from the Tribe of Rushing Water." The gray tom replied.

Autumnpaw had to say, the tom's glossy pelt reminded her of a RiverClan cat. She did remember hearing a story about how he decided to stay with the Tribe, with his mate, Brook. Now, those two same cats were standing front of her.

"Stormfur, she must be a Clan cat. I can smell her ThunderClan scent. That tom was right." Brook pointed out.

"Are you a Clan cat?" Stormfur asked, glancing from his mate to Autumnpaw.

"Yes." Autumnpaw replied.

"What are you doing all the way out here, then?" Stormfur asked, puzzled.

"It's a long story." Autumnpaw replied, sighing.

"Well, I guess Clan life isn't for everyone. But, do you want to stay in the Cave of Rushing Water with us and the Tribe? It looks like it will storm." Stormfur replied, flicking his tail at the sky.

It wasn't until now that Autumnpaw had noticed how late it was getting. The sun was already started to set in the sky, but the clouds that looked heavy with rain, stayed. Besides, these cats were being nice enough to offer her somewhere to stay. How could she reject shelter, when she needed it?

"I'll stay there." Autumnpaw said, looking away from the sky.

"Come with us, then." Brook said, flicking her tail.

Autumnpaw followed the two Tribe cats. She had so many questions, but knew now wasn't the time. She'd have tomorrow to ask them, and maybe she would stay longer than that with the Tribe. She wasn't saying she'd join them, but staying with them and learning their ways wouldn't hurt. She quickened her pace to catch up with the mountain cats, as she watched the cave come into view.

Sandpaw padded across the flat ground, sniffing every bush he saw. He was determined to find Autumnpaw, even if it took the rest of his life to do that. He now had reassurance and newfound strength from Spottedleaf, not to mention that prophecy she'd given him. The prophecy had completely slipped his mind, since it wasn't what he was focused on. If needed, he'd tell a medicine cat when he got back home.

Sandpaw picked a scent up, sniffing it and following the trail. It was faint, and pretty old. The smell was from a couple days ago, but it was no doubt Autumnpaw's. That gave him hope, knowing that she'd travelled this way, even if it was a few days ago. Sandpaw feli like he could run and find today, but that was unlikely. He followed the trail, until it became too faint to follow anymore. He was just happy to pick up a trace of her, to know she was still alive, and probably well, too.

The light golden tabby reached the top of a small hill, and looked out over at the land in front of him. He wondered if Autumnpaw was out there somewhere, and he wondered what she was doing. Was she eating well? Was she sleeping well? Questions about her well being swirled through Sandpaw's mind, making him close his eyes and shake his head to clear them.

Sandpaw knew it was a breathtaking view, and that Autumnpaw would enjoy it. Maybe she'd already seen it, if she was here before. Then, Sandpaw spotted some brown moving in the distance. He ran down the hill, slowing at the bottom. He padded forward, watching the shape. It was no doubt a cat, moving, probably in the search of prey. Then, he saw the familiar light brown tabby pelt, and brightened. He padded closer, making out a pair of amber eyes. He ran forward, shouting at the cat.

"Autumnpaw!"

**Haha, a bit of a cliffhanger here. I know, this chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but this was kinda a filler chapter, since not much happened. I guess Autumnpaw meeting Stormfur and Brook was important. So, do you think that Autumnpaw is really there? Maybe she didn't want to stay with the Tribe after all. Or is Sandpaw just seeing things? I promise, the next chapter will be much better! Bye!**


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter is pretty short, as it is a filler chapter. I'm going to update again today with the next chapter. I hope you enjoy, though.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

* * *

**Autumn and Summer:**

**Sandpaw's POV**

"Autumnpaw!"

Sandpaw bounded towards the light golden brown she-cat. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. The cat turned to look at him.

"Who's Autumnpaw?" The cat asked.

Sandpaw realized that this wasn't Autumnpaw, but a she-cat who looked like a larger copy of the apprentice. Although, she looked a bit different, with dull, dark amber eyes and a pelt that clung loosely to her small, frail, boney frame. Her dull eyes glowed with confusion and curiousity.

"I'm sorry. You just looked like someone I know." Sandpaw replied.

"Please do tell me about this Autumnpaw." The she-cat said, sitting down and curling her tail neatly around her paws.

"Well, she looks exactly like you. I mean, _exactly _like you." Sandpaw said.

"Oh." She said thoughtfully.

"I must go." Sandpaw said, beginning to pad away.

Sandpaw turned his head, about to ask one more question. The she-cat was still sitting with her tail curled around her paws. She watched Sandpaw, still with that curosity glimmering in her eyes. It reminded Sandpaw of Autumnpaw's eyes.

"You have a daughter, don't you?" Sandpaw asked.

The she-cat leaped to her paws, fur rising in defense and anger. She hissed, but her eyes showed her fear.

"How do you know that? I have a daughter, but she's long gone." The tabby hissed.

"Because I think the Autumnpaw I'm speaking of is your daughter." Sandpaw replied.

"R-Really? If so, I want to meet her." The she-cat said, calming down.

"She's far from here, though. I was looking for her, actually." Sandpaw replied.

"I'll come with you. There was a cat here a couple tails ago." She said.

"Can you show me? And what's your name?" Sandpaw asked.

"My name's Star. I used to be known as Star That Shines At Night in the tribe." Star replied.

Sandpaw just nodded, because there was time for questions later. Star just flicked her tail, padding over to a bush. She flicked her tail again, beckoning for Sandpaw to look under it. There was a makeshift nest and some squirrel remains that were partially buried. Scent lingered on the nest and around the bush. It was Autumnpaw's scent.

"Is it helpful?" Star asked.

"Yes. It's her scent!" Sandpaw said happily.

"Yes, but it's also from a couple days ago. She could be anywhere by now." Star replied.

Sandpaw's tail drooped and his head hung. She was right. The scent was a couple days old, and starting to get stale.

"You're right. She could be anywhere." Sandpaw said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sure we'll find her. She may anywhere, but she can't be far." Star said.

"Are you sure you want to come with?" Sandpaw asked, looking up at Star.

"Of course! I really want to meet my daughter." Star replied.

"So you haven't met her before?" Sandpaw asked.

"No, but I can tell you the story, if you want me to." Star replied.

Sandpaw perked up at the thought of a story. As a kit, Sandpaw enjoyed visiting the elders and listening to the stories they told. Graypaw always said it was stupid, even though he tagged along anyways. Sandpaw was amazed by the stories the elders told, of cats like the great Bluestar, to evil cats like Tigerstar, and even great battles, like the battle with BloodClan. All those cats and battles had happened before he was born though. The elders even knew how his mother, Brightheart, got her scars.

Sandpaw settled under a bush with Star, who made herself comfortable. She cleared her throat before beginning.

"So, it all started..."

**And we're done! Of course, we met another OC of mine. I've been wanting to create one that is or was a Tribe cat. So here she is, Star, or Star That Shines At Night. She is a rogue/loner, since she doesn't really defend her territory but she does move around from time to time. I also want to put Autumnpaw's father in this story somehow, but it won't be a major role or anything. And, for those who are wondering, Star is Autumnpaw's mother.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's the other update I was talking about! It's told from Star's POV, just something to switch it up. We also meet Autumnpaw's father in this chapter. But remember, these are all flashbacks from Star, so it's easier for you guys to learn her story she was going to tell Sandpaw at the end of the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

**Autumn and Summer:**

_ Star sat alone, by herself outside of Tribe territory. That was it. She'd become a rogue, and live out the rest of days alone. She loved the Tribe, but didn't want to become the next Stoneteller. Something told her she wasn't meant to do that. She ran away from her only home because of that. Besides, there were other cats worthy of being picked as the next Stoneteller. Star rose to her paws, padding away, casting one glance back at her precious mountains. They would always stay in her heart._

_ I'll never forget you. She thought._

_ Star turned, almost walking straight into another cat. It was a blue-gray mottled tom, with clear, deep blue eyes._

_ "Hey, you're from that Tribe, aren't you?" The tom asked._

_ "Not anymore." Star replied glumly, hanging her head._

_ "Such a shame. You were a good hunter." The tom replied._

_ At that comment, Star's head shot up. This cat had seen her hunting. She'd seen him before, from afar, but never knew he was watching her. For some reason, it didn't anger her. She actually took it as a compliment._

_ "Thanks. You're a rogue, aren't you?" Star asked._

_ "Yes, I am." The tom replied._

_ "Well, why don't we stick together? Two are better than one, right?" Star asked._

_ The blue-gray tom looked at her thoughtfully, as if pondering. Star hoped he would say yes. She didn't want to be alone._

_ "Sure. I'll go with you." The tom replied after a few heartbeats._

_ "Thanks. And what's your name?"_

_ "I'm Storm. What's your name?" Storm asked._

_ "Star. Formerly Star That Shines At Night." Star replied._

_ "Star. That's a nice name." Storm replied._

_ Star thanked the tom, and they padded side by side, heading away from the mountains. Star was happy to know she wasn't alone._

* * *

_ Star padded nervously next to Storm, trying to keep up with the swift tom. Star was unsure of what the tom's reaction to her news would be. Her belly was already round, and it had been like that for a couple quarter moons. Storm had even made jokes that she was night hunting without him._

_ "Storm, I need to tell you something." Star said._

_ "What? Are you going to confess that you're totally night hunting without me?" Storm joked._

_ "No, you mouse-brain!" Star purred, cuffing him playfully over the ear._

_ "Okay, what is it, though?" Storm asked, curling his tail around his paws._

_ Star took a deep breath, summoning all her courage. It was going to be fine. Storm was her mate, he'd understand. Why was she so scared?_

_ "I'm expecting kits." Star said._

_ Storm looked at her with shock, and it seemed like his jaw could drop to the ground. He didn't look really excited, either. Maybe he was just confused about the entire thing. She'd explain to him later. Storm just nodded his head, and they continued on._

* * *

_ Star lay on her side, panting. She heaved and pushed as a ripple passed through her stomach. Storm sat, crouched by her side. He whispered encouragement in her ear, and suddenly the pain stopped. Star looked to see a wet bundle lying next to her stomach. She pulled the kit close, nipping the sack and licking her fur the wrong way. The kit mewled and crawled to her stomach._

_ "She looks exactly like you." Storm said._

_ Star nodded and purred. She watched her daughter suckle, trying to think of a name for her. Nothing was coming to her. She decided to wait until tomorrow._

_ After her daughter finished suckling, she rose to her paws, picking the kit up by her scruff. She and Storm padded along again, the kit mewling in protest to being carried. Star purred and hushed her daughter._

_ "Quiet, little one." She said gently._

_ They reached a forest, just as a storm broke out. Rain poured down, drenching the three cats. The kit mewled loudly in protest this time. Storm hissed, looking at Star with an annoyed look on his face. He glanced at their daughter, then up towards the sky._

_ "Put the kit down." Storm said._

_ "Why?" Star asked._

_ "We're leaving her." Storm hissed._

_ "You can't do that! She's our daughter!" Star protested._

_ "But she's annoying! And she'll never survive, anyways. She's just more I have to deal with." Storm said._

_ "But we can't!" _

_ "Yes, you can!_

_ "I won't. Our daughter is staying with us." Star said._

_ Star placed the kit on the ground, pulling her close to Star's stomach. Storm watched her with annoyance. Then, he snatched the kit up by the scruff, tossing her into the forest. She landed with a plop a few tail lengths away. Star looked on with horror._

_ "Let's go. Now." Storm hissed._

_ Star followed the blue-gray tom, glancing back every so often. They padded away from the forest, putting distance between them and their daughter. Star wanted to cry, thinking of her lost daughter, all alone now._

_ "Would you stop?" Storm sneered._

_ "I can't believe you did that! I trusted you! I loved you!" Star said._

_ With that, the light golden brown tabby turned, fleeing. She ran as fast as she could, her paws pounding on the ground. She'd never go back to him. He wasn't the same cat, not the kind and gentle one she'd met nearly twelve moons ago._

_ I'm never going back, Star thought as she ran away._

_ She listened to Storm calling her name, but completely ignored it. As much as she hated him for he did, a part of her still loved the tom. He'd saved her and kept her company all those moons._

_ "I won't forget you. But I won't forgive you, either." Star murmured._

* * *

**I know, it's sad! I'm sorry it has to be this way. Of course, it connects with the prologue of the story, with the storm. I just thought it was a creative way of telling the story. Star is also just Star as a rogue/loner, even though she told Storm her Tribe name, too. And isn't ironic that Autumnpaw's father's name is Storm? That wasn't planned, I swear!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm back! I had some extreme writer's block, and I've been very busy. I'll probably say that a lot. I'm the worst at time management. :P**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors, I simply own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

* * *

**Autumn and Summer:**

**Autumnpaw's POV**

Autumnpaw woke up, still feeling tired as ever. The nests in the cave were strange to her, with no soft moss to lay on. It was pretty hard sleeping with the sound of pounding water in your ears, too. She rose from the nest, stretching. As she walked out if the den, she was greeted with looks from the other Tribe cats. They didn't look at her harshly, but looked at her as if she looked like someone they knew. Autumnpaw was sure she'd never met the Tribe before, though.

Autumnpaw padded out of the cave, enjoying the fresh air. She sat by the pool outside the cave, seeing small fish swimming the water. If she was RiverClan, maybe she'd catch a few fish. She sighed, turning and looking into the distance. Somewhere, moons away, was the Clans and Sandpaw. As much as she hated thinking about the Clans and Sandpaw, they came to her mind often. Even living with the Tribe hadn't cleared her mind. Maybe it was her worry for Sandpaw. She wondered what the golden tabby was doing today. Hunting? Battle practice, perhaps? Autumnpaw was sure he was enjoying his day more than she was. It just didn't feel right in the Tribe. It was more like _something _didn't feel right in the Tribe. The weird stares she was greeted with scared her. She felt like she wasn't even welcomed here.

Her only real friends in the Tribe were Stormfur and Brook. Maybe it was because they brought her here. Stormfur and Brook were kind, and did everything they could to make her feel better, but nothing could fill the hold in her heart. The question was, what would fill that hole? It seemed the farther she got away from the Clans, the bigger the hole grew. It was probably growing bigger every heartbeat, every breath she took. Then, she realized that maybe she didn't belong in the mountains, either.

_Will I ever belong anywhere? _Autumnpaw asked herself.

Then, a soft voice spoke in her ear:

_You know where you belong, little one._

Autumnpaw jumped and snapped her head around. When she looked, there was no cat standing there. There wasn't even a sign that a cat had been there. No pawprints or anything, just that voice. Autumnpaw felt her fur rising, scared that if she turned around, the voice would come back. Sure, the voice wasn't threatening her, but she didn't like it either. After a few heartbeats, she turned and sat back down, thinking of what the voice said.

_You know where you belong, little one._

What could that mean? Autumnpaw didn't really know where she belonged. It wasn't with the Tribe, that was for sure. It was somewhere else, somewhere where she'd be accepted. Autumnpaw didn't know of a place like that. Was this voice helping her or playing tricks on her? It was so confusing, and it didn't help with her exhaustion. She shook her head slightly before padding back inside the cave.

Sandpaw listened to every word that Star said, not wanting to miss a bit of the story. She told him many things, like her running away from the Tribe, and meeting her mate. There was one part that Sandpaw was sure connected Star with Autumnpaw. The part when her mate threw their daughter into a forest in the middle of a storm. Sandpaw was told that Autumnpaw was found in a storm and brought to ThunderClan by a patrol. It was when he was a kit, only about a day old, though. If the stories he heard was true, then Star was Autumnpaw's mother.

"I think you may actually be her mother." Sandpaw said when Star had finished.

"That's why I want to meet her. I have to make up for not standing up to her father and leaving her in the middle of a storm." Star replied.

"That's what we're going to do! Find Autumnpaw, so you guys can meet, and hopefully bring her back to the Clans." Sandpaw said.

Star nodded. She seemed just as eager to find Autumnpaw as Sandpaw was. Sandpaw flicked his tail and the two of them headed off. As they padded along, a ball of fur launched at Sandpaw, bowling the apprentice over. The golden tabby had no time to react, and tried pushing the other cat off. Star ran to his aid, grabbing the other cat by the scruff and yanking him off. She spit out a few pieces of fur when she was done. Sandpaw slowly rose to his paws, then saw the cat was still there. It was a blue-gray mottled tom, with a ragged, ungroomed pelt that clung to his skinny body, much like Star's. His blue eyes were fierce, but clouded and dull.

Star blinked her eyes, seeming to know the tom. When the tom saw her, his anger faded. Sandpaw was utterly confused.

"S-Storm?" Star mewed.

"Star? I never thought I'd see you again." Storm replied.

"You gave me no choice but to run away!" Star said defensively, her voice rising.

"I didn't mean any harm!" Storm snarled back, clearly angry.

To Sandpaw, this reunion of sorts was souring quickly. Both cats' fur was on end, and their teeth were bared. They hissed and snarled at each other, and Sandpaw didn't know what to do. The two cats were about to attack when he spoke.

"Stop!" Sandpaw yelled.

The two cats stopped, blinking in confusion. Sandpaw looked from one cat to the other, seeing the anger fade from both their eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sandpaw." Star said, hanging her head.

The she-cat sheathed her claws and let her fur lay flat. She padded to stand by Sandpaw. Storm still looked angry, but sheathed his claws as well.

Star sighed, murmuring another apology. Sandpaw looked from Star to Storm, seeing Storm's anger fade.

"I'm sorry as well." Storm said, letting his ungroomed pelt lay flat.

"You're... Autumnpaw's father, right?" Sandpaw asked, turning to Storm.

Storm looked at him with confusion glinting in his dull eyes.

"Who's Autumnpaw?" Storm asked.

Sandpaw then realized Storm would have no idea who Autumnpaw was. Star had said so when she told Sandpaw her story.

"She's... your daughter. The one you tossed away." Star said quietly.

**Sorry for the cliffhanger! I'll be updating soon! Either today or tomorrow. I'll also try and update Rain for you guys. I'm not sure, though. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I am sure you will all love this chapter. Read until the end and you'll find out why! ;D**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT Warriors or any of the characters, I simply own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

* * *

**Autumn and Summer:**

**Sandpaw's POV**

Sandpaw saw Storm freeze. Star's eyes were filled with sorrow as she looked at her former mate. Sandpaw wondered if Star still loved Storm.

"I never thought she'd survive." Storm mewed quietly.

"By what he's told me, she's grown up to be a great cat." Star replied.

Storm stayed quiet, studying his paws. He was clearly upset about what he did to Autumnpaw. All this time, Storm must have thought Autumnpaw was dead.

"Do you mind if I travel with you? To see her?" Storm asked when he looked up.

Star's eyes widened, clearly confused why Storm would want to come with.

"You... want to meet her?" Star asked.

Storm nodded, scuffling his paws. He looked nervous, as if he thought Star was going to say no. Sandpaw hoped it was okay, because this cat needed food. Sandpaw looked over at the light golden brown tabby, and she nodded her head.

"You can come with." Star said, looking at Storm.

"Thank you." The tom replied, dipping his head to his former mate.

Storm joined them, padding next to Sandpaw. Sandpaw spotted something hopping along, and raised his tail. Star and Storm paused, scenting the air. Sandpaw saw the rabbit hop out from behind one of the few bushes that dotted the land here. The rabbit was turned away from the three cats, and the wind was blowing towards them, so the rabbit couldn't pick up their scent. Sandpaw flatted himself to the ground, creeping up on the rabbit. It paused, and that's when Sandpaw pounced. The rabbit barely had time to react before Sandpaw killed it with a swift bite to the neck. He padded back to Storm and Star, the prey in his jaws.

"You have wonderful hunting skills." Storm mewed.

Sandpaw nodded and flicked his tail, setting the rabbit down. He motioned for Star and Storm to eat it.

"We can't eat it without you. That's not fair!" Star said.

"You need it more than I do." Sandpaw replied, flicking his tail at the two cats' scrawny bodies.

Star didn't say anything else. She crouched by the rabbit, taking the first bite. She pushed it over to Storm, who took a big, hungry bite.

The two cats ate the rabbit quickly. Sandpaw almost felt guilty for how much food they had back in the Clans. Sandpaw thought the two rogues would make great warriors. Storm and Star swiped their tongues over their jaws. Sandpaw flicked his tail, and the three cats continued on. Sandpaw prayed to StarClan that Autumnpaw was still safe.

Autumnpaw padded out of her nest once again. It had been almost a quarter moon since she came to the Tribe. The Tribe was nice, but she still couldn't shake off the strange stares she got. It was like the Tribe cats knew her. Autumnpaw knew she couldn't stay in the Tribe too much longer. The words that voice said to her still stuck in her head.

_You know where you belong, little one._

Where did Autumnpaw belong? Was this voice right, did she really know in her heart where she belonged? She wasn't even sure who the voice belonged to. Could she even trust this voice? Autumnpaw did know one thing. She missed Sandpaw, a lot. In her heart, she'd go anywhere, as long as Sandpaw was going there. Then, it dawned on her. She belonged in the Clans. That's where Sandpaw belonged.

_Am I right? _Autumnpaw asked that voice who'd spoke to her.

She was surprised when she got an answer.

"_I knew you would figure it out, little one." _The voice said.

_Who are you, anyways? _Autumnpaw asked.

_"I'm Spottedleaf. You can trust me, little one." _The voice replied.

"Thank you, Spottedleaf. You've set me on the right path." Autumnpaw murmured quietly to herself.

"_Don't thank me. You knew in your heart when you belonged, like I told you." _Spottedleaf replied.

Autumnpaw only nodded, before padding off to find Stormfur or Brook. They needed to know she was leaving.

Autumnpaw soon spotted the two Tribe cats. She padded swiftly over to them. Stormfur and Brook turned to look at her.

"What is it, little one?" Brook asked gently.

"I'm leaving." Autumnpaw replied nervously.

"Very well, then. Be safe. We wish you well." Stormfur replied.

_That was easier than expected, _Autumnpaw thought.

Autumnpaw dipped her head, murmuring goodbyes to some of the Tribe to-bes she met and became friends with. She turned to look at the cave one last time.

"I thank you all for making me feel welcome here. I'll never forget you." Autumnpaw saud, raising her voice.

Autumnpaw turned around, padding out of the cave. She skirted around the pool, putting distance between her and the cave. She feel too welcomed in the Tribe, but she sure wasn't going to forget them.

Autumnpaw padded down the hill, turing back to look at the peak of the mountains. She said goodbye to the mountains that had become her home for a short she turned around, she spotted three cats padding in her direction, a tree length or two away. One of the cats' sandy colored pelt reminded her of Sandpaw. Then, she realized that it _was _Sandpaw. She was bouncing with excitement as she bounded over to the sandy colored tom.

"Sandpaw!"

"Autumnpaw?" Sandpaw asked.

Autumnpaw flung herself at the tom, bowling him over.

"I missed you!" She purred, jumping off the tom.

"Me too." Sandpaw replied, rising to his paws.

"What are you doing out here?" Autumnpaw asked suddenly.

"Looking for you." Sandpaw replied.

Autumnpaw was shocked. She had been sure that all this time Sandpaw was back at camp. In reality, he was out on his own, searching for her. A feeling that Autumnpaw couldn't explain came over her. It made her feel warm and cozy. She turned her attention to the two cats who were with Sandpaw.

"Who are these cats?" Autumnpaw asked curiously.

Sandpaw looked from one cat to the other. The two cats nodded their heads. Autumnpaw was never expecting the answer she got.

"Autumnpaw, these are your parents."

**You liked it, right? No? Fine. xD I was excited for this chapter. I felt like it was time for Autumnpaw and Sandpaw to find each other. It's been eight LOOOONG chapters since they've been face to face. It brings a tear to my eye to see them together. :') P.S. Check out my poll on my profile! :D  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here I am again! This chapter is a bit shorter, and more of a filler chapter. In the next chapter, we'll see some action! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I simply own my OCs and the plot of the story! Rated T for Warriors!**

* * *

**Autumn and Summer:**

**Sandpaw's POV**

Sandpaw watched Autumnpaw's face change as she looked at the cats who were her real parents. Storm and Star looked ashamed that they hadn't been in their daughters life for moons. The two cats stared at their paws.

"You found my parents for me?" Autumnpaw asked.

"More like they found me. They came along because I thought you'd like to meet them, and well, they wanted to meet you." Sandpaw replied.

"You've done too much, Sandpaw. Does anyone even know you left?" Autumnpaw asked.

Sandpaw looked around, and Autumnpaw must have known what that meant.

"So you really came all this way without telling anyone, for me?" Autumnpaw asked, blinking in confusion.

"I would travel for moons to find you." Sandpaw replied, finally looking up at her.

Autumnpaw purred in reply, turning to her parents.

"So, you're my parents?" Autumnpaw asked quietly.

"Yes, and I'm sorry I wasn't in your life. I wasn't a mother to you." Star replied.

"That's okay. I was raised by a great she-cat. I was glad she took me as her own." Autumnpaw said.

"I'll have to meet this she-cat sometime." Star purred.

"Are we going back to the Clans?" Autumnpaw asked, to no one in particular.

That was the question Sandpaw was waiting for her to ask. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"That's what I wanted to ask. I wanted you to come back to the Clans." Sandpaw said.

"I'll come back. It's where I belong." Autumnpaw replied.

Sandpaw was confused when she said the last part. Where she belonged? Sandpaw decided to not ask. He flicked his tail, and the four cats padded off. It would be a long way home.

Sandpaw and the others traveled all day. There was a short distance to the lake, but the four cats needed a break. They made makeshift nests, settling into the moss and feathers. Sandpaw found himself in a dream when he finally fell asleep.

_He raced through the lush forest. It was like the one __he had been in when he had the dream with Bluestar. He wondered if the she-cat was here, too. Maybe Autumnpaw was here. The sandy colored tom ran through the forest, searching for the clearing Bluestar had been in. It had to be here somewhere, if this really was the same forest._

_ The trees thinned, and he found the clearing. It glowed even brighter than before, like the moon itself. In the middle of the clearing sat Bluestar and Spottedleaf. Their eyes and pelt glowed with starshine, and the moonlight turned their pelts silver. Sandpaw padded up to them, dipping his head to the StarClan cats._

_ "I knew you could do it. You followed your heart." Bluestar said._

_ "I'm glad I was able to guide you. You have fulfilled the prophecy." Spottedleaf added._

_ "What?" Sandpaw asked, perplexed._

_ "Don't you remember the prophecy I gave you?" Spottedleaf asked softly._

_ Then it came back to him. The prophecy came back to him. How had he fulfilled it? He was sure he had nothing to do with it._

_ "You thought you had nothing to do with it, didn't you?" Spottedleaf asked, as if reading hos mind._

_ Sandpaw nodded. Then, Spottedleaf explained._

_ "You are the summer sand that is bringing back the autumn leaves. Don't you see it now?" Spottedleaf said._

_ It all made sense to him now. After he fulfilled the prophecy. At least he knew he was never going to be a medicine cat._

_ "Did anyone else know about it?" Sandpaw suddenly asked._

_ Bluestar nodded._

_ "Spottedleaf delivered the prophecy to Moonpelt. She promised to keep it a secret, to protect you." Bluestar explained._

_ Moonpelt? Then Sandpaw realized that Autumnpaw's older sister must have receieved her true medicine cat name while he was gone. Things must have changed back home in the Clans. Sandpaw simply nodded. It made sense why she'd keep it a secret. She wanted him to go and bring her sister back. And she sure must have had been sure he would succeed at it. Even Sandpaw wasn't sure. He supposed that was just from faith in StarClan._

_Now Sandpaw had to make sure to thank Moonpelt when they returned to ThunderClan. She deserved it, after keeping a secret from her Clan to help him fulfill a prophecy. She was a great medicine cat, that was sure._

_ "I suppose we'll part ways, then?" Bluestar suggested._

_ The blue-gray she-cat looked over at Spottedleaf, but the dappled tortoiseshell she-cat was staring off, as if she was looking at something far away. Something Sandpaw couldn't see. After a few hewartbeats, she blinked. She looked over at Bluestar, mewing something into the former leader's ear. Bluestar's expression changed, and she turned to Sandpaw._

_ "We must go. And you should, too. Please, hurry back to ThunderClan." Bluestar meowed._

_ Sandpaw just nodded, watching the two StarClan cats run off. What had gotten them so worked up? Whatever it was, Sandpaw knew it was bad. It felt like there was a cold rock in his stomach, and he shivered. Something bad must be coming to ThunderClan, if Bluestar told him to hurry. He turned, fleeing into the lush forest that seemed to have a sudden darkness to it. It scared him, and he felt like he had been running forever, until everything faded away and went black._

**Alright, that's all for now! I promise, next chapter will not disappoint! I'll give you guys some hints: Sandpaw and the others return to the Clans, but even now, there still seems to be trouble lurking. Sound good? I think so! Also make sure you check on my poll, which is linked on my profile!**


	12. Chapter 12

**As promised, here is chapter 12! It took me a little while to write. Nonetheless, I think it's a great chapter, and I hope you guys will enjoy it! Enough with my ranting, let's begin chapter 12, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors or any of the characters, I simply own my OCs and the plot of the story. Rated T for Warriors!**

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**Autumn and Summer:**

**Autumnpaw's POV**

The four cats reached the top of a hill, looking out over the lake. Storm and Star seemed to be the most amazed out of all of them. Of course, they'd never seen it before. Autumnpaw suddenly scented something strange and wrinkled her nose. Then, she saw thick, dark smoke rising from the forest. The forest that ThunderClan lived in. She nudged Sandpaw urgently, pointing with her tail to the smoke. Sandpaw's eyes widened. Then, Autumnpaw saw the pelts of her Clanmates fleeing the burning forest. The four cats raced down the hill, towards the ThunderClan cats.

One of the apprentices, Dewpaw, who was Sandpaw's older brother, looked over. His eyes widened and he poked a cat sitting next to him. The other cat was Snowpaw, another one of Sandpaw's brothers. Snowpaw looked overjoyed when he turned around.

"Sandpaw's back!" The white tom announced.

Every cat in the Clan turned to look at Sandpaw. Autumnpaw could see the nervousness in his eyes, and she bad for him. His mother, Brightheart, rushed over, covering him with licks.

"You had us all worried! Don't run away like that!" Brightheart mewed.

Autumnpaw caught one of Sandpaw's littermates, Graypaw, watching. The tom's eyes blazed with jealousy, or at least that was what Autumnpaw saw. Graypaw did have a sour look on his face all the time, so maybe it was that. He surely was happy his brother was back, right? Autumnpaw cringed at the thought of Graypaw maybe not wanting Sandpaw to come back. Autumnpaw pushed it to the back of her mind. There was a forest fire, and these cats were acting like it was nothing, now that they arrived.

Autumnpaw remembered Star wanting to meet Rain. Autumnpaw searched for the speckled she-cat, but did not see her. She padded around the crowd, who was distracted with Sandpaw's return. It was the return of a great warrior or something. Autumnpaw looked everywhere, not finding the she-cat who raised her. Moonpelt and Iceheart were there, though.

"Have you seen Rain?" Autumnpaw asked her older sister, Moonpelt.

The she-cat's green eyes widened with fear.

"She's... still in the camp." Moonpelt replied.

"I have to save her!" Autumnpaw said, shocked.

Autumnpaw turned, running towards the burning forest. Moonpelt shouted after her, but she ignored her. Autumnpaw pounded her paws hard on the ground, urging herself forward. She needed to save Rain from this fire.

Autumnpaw held her breath in the burning forest, hoping she didn't inhale any smoke. She found the ThunderClan camp, which was burning. Red and orange flames were rising into the sky. Autumnpaw raced into the camp, looking for Rain. She found the she-cat hidden in the warrios' den, coughing.

"Rain!" Autumnpaw shouted, racing to her side.

"Autumnpaw, what are you doing here? It dangerous!" Rain replied, coughing afterwards.

"I'm getting you out of here." Autumnpaw said firmly.

"But why? I lied to you! I was the reason you ran away! Shouldn't you hate me?" Rain asked, tears falling from her blue eyes.

"Maybe I _should _hate you, but I _don't _hate you. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive! You raised me as your own. You made me feel welcome. You didn't make me leave. _I _made myself leave, and it was the wrong choice." Autumnpaw said.

Rain's eyes glowed with pride as Autumnpaw spoke.

"I'm glad to call you my daughter." The she-cat purred.

"Now, come on, let's get out of here!" Autumnpaw shouted.

Rain rose to her paws quickly, following Autumnpaw out of camp. They ran through the forest, avoiding the flames. Racing out, they headed to their Clanmates. Their Clanmates watched them run out from the burning forest.

"Autumnpaw's back!" Amberpaw shouted.

As they approached the rest of the Clan, Rain fell to ground. The speckled she-cat was gasping for air. Leafpool and Jayfeather came rushing over.

"She'll be safe with us." Leafpool mewed.

"Thank you." Autumnpaw mewed, dipping her head.

Autumnpaw left Rain with the two medicine cats. She would be safe. Autumnpaw padded to where Sandpaw, Storm and Star were standing.

"I have such a brave daughter." Star purred, her eyes glowing with warmth.

Autumnpaw enjoyed hearing those words of praise from her mother, but deep inside, they almost hurt her. Why did they hurt so much? Was it possible she'd rather hear those words from Rain? Autumnpaw glanced over where the she-cat was still being tended to by Leafpool and Jayfeather. Rain wasn't her real mother, yet she wanted to hear praise from the she-cat. Star was her real mother, and now her real mother's words hurt. Autumnpaw remembered what Rain had said in the camp:

_"But why? I lied to you! I was the reason you ran away! Shouldn't you hate me?"_

Rain was right. Any other cat would hate her for that. But Autumnpaw didn't hate her. Autumnpaw still loved her, like nothing had ever changed. Rain was wrong about one thing. She wasn't the reason she ran away. The reason she ran away was because of herself. Autumnpaw hated who she was. She felt like she didn't belong, like no one cared. But Sandpaw proved that none of that was true when he came after her.

A silence spread between the four cats. Autumnpaw didn't know what say. She didn't want to hurt Star or Rain. She loved them both, but Rain had been in her life longer than Star. Maybe that was why Star's words hurt so much. Before Autumnpaw could say anything, Firestar began speaking.

"Cats of ThunderClan, it is obvious that we must find somewhere to stay until the forest is safe again." The ThunderClan leader began.

_That means we're going to stay with another Clan. I hope it's not WindClan. _Autumnpaw thought.

"Brambleclaw and I have decided we will go to WindClan. We can only hope they take us in." Firestar said.

Autumnpaw groaned inwardly. As Twolegs came in with their strange monsters, the Clan headed towards WindClan. Autumnpaw felt like her paws were getting heavier with every step she took. Soon, they'd be like stones. Autumnpaw prayed to StarClan they wouldn't be staying WindClan. She hoped they'd say no.

**I feel like I'm torturing poor Autumnpaw. Things will get better, I promise! Please check out my Warriors Name Generator and my OCs Sale. Also, check out my poll which is linked on my profile.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm back! I hope to put out as many updates as I possibly can. But, without further a don't, here's the next chapter of Autumn and Summer. ;D (Also, I did change my penname.)**

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Autumnpaw struggled to lift her stone-like paws. It wasn't just her paws that were being weighed down, though. There was an imaginary cold stone in her stomach, weighing her down. Her breath hitched in her throat as she crossed the stone steps and entered WindClan territory. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Rain propped up between Jayfeather and Leafpool.

_Rain needs to rest, but... I don't want to go WindClan. _Autumnpaw thought to herself.

She mentally kicked herself for thinking something so selfish. Of course she didn't want to stay in WindClan for one huge reason, but she alslo didn't want to make Rain go further than she needed to.

_I'll just have to suck it up. Rain needs the rest._

Autumnpaw focused ahead of her. Just as the WindClan camp was coming into view, the sounds of hisses cut through the air. Autumnpaw swivelled her head around to see a WindClan patrol racing towards them. Much to her luck, there was a familiar brown and white pelt among the WindClan patrol. Harespring.

Autumnpaw imediately put her head down, in order to avoid the WindClan tom's gaze. She was nervous, and quite possibly scared. Maybe she was scared because he had told the truth. Maybe the truth scared her more than it hurt her. She would admit that the things he'd said made a deep cut. One that still stung to this day.

"Are you just going to cower away from him?"

Autumnpaw lifted her head and met Sandpaw's blue gaze. Was she really cowering away in fear? Was it _that _noticeable? Then again, it was Sandpaw. He could see right through any wall she tried to put up.

"You're making it worse for yourself if you hide from him. It shows him you're still hurt, and that you're still afraid of him." Sandpaw continued.

She had to admit, Sandpaw was right.

_How'd he become so smart?_ Autumnpaw thought, laughing a bit.

"What's so funny?" Sandpaw asked, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Autumnpaw looked up to see Firestar being confronted by the WindClan patrol. Her eyes briefly met Harespring's, and she stopped herself from sticking her tongue out. It would childish of her to do that. She decided to play it like any mature cat would, and smirked. She looked back over at Sandpaw, who had clearly followed her gaze.

"You're the funny one. When do you get so smart?" Autumnpaw asked.

"That's what you get for being gone for so long. You wouldn't understand how smart I've become." Sandpaw replied.

"Then again, you were the mouse-brain who came after me." Autumnpaw said with a purr of amusement.

Sandpaw was about to reply when Firestar's voice cut through the air. Both apprentices looked toward their leader, as did the rest of the Clan.

"Cats of ThunderClan, the patrol has allowed us to come to stay in their camp since we have some cats that are weak or injured. I will be discussing these matters with Onestar as soon as we get to the camp." The ginger tom said.

Autumnpaw was surprised when she didn't hear herself groan. Whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd of ThunderClan cats as the news sunk in and the Clan headed towards the WindClan camp. With Sandpaw next to her, Autumnpaw felt confident, and ready for anything Harespring had in store.

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WindClan had indeed allowed ThunderClan to stay. Firestar said that Onestar told him they could stay as long they wanted, just as long as they didn't get in the way. It was a generous offer, since the relationship between the two Clans wasn't what it used to be.

Harespring hadn't bothered Autumnpaw since ThunderClan arrived in the camp. She hoped she had sent some kind of message. Even so, she always felt that the tom was around the corner, waiting to pounce on her emotions again. Autumnpaw was ready for it, too. She never let her guard down for a heartbeat.

WindClan provided them with prey, too. Autumnpaw would have prefered a mouse, but for all she knew, all the mice in the forest could have been burned to crisps. Autumnpaw was about to pick a rabbit from the top of the pile when a joyful, and familiar voice cut through the air.

"Hey, Autumnpaw!"

Autumnpaw looked up to see one of her old friends, Silverpaw. The silver-gray tabby had grown since Autumnpaw had last seen her. Her friend's blue eyes shone with happiness.

"Hi, Silverpaw." Autumnpaw replied.

"So, do you wanna go hunting with me? Dovesong said I should ask you, and I kinda want to catch up with you." Silverpaw said.

"Sure, I'll go hunting with you. I've probably missed a lot since I was gone." Autumnpaw replied, stretching.

Silverpaw nodded, and Autumnpaw followed the silver-gray tabby to where Dovesong stood. The warrior smiled warmly at Autumnpaw and Silverpaw, before flicking her tail. The two apprentices followed her out of camp. Once they were a few fox lengths outside of camp, she turned to face them.

"I guess this would be a good time to teach you guys about rabbit hunting. It's not exactly the same as hunting a mouse. You don't have as much cover here, so it will be easier for the rabbit to spot you. We are not WindClan, so don't try to get into a wild chase with a rabbit." Dovesong began explaining.

Dovesong also reminded the apprentices, that like any other prey, if the wind blows their scent toward it, it will know that they're here. After she finished explaining, she let Autumnpaw and Silverpaw go hunt. The two apprentices went their own ways, looking for a rabbit. Autumnpaw wondered curiously if Silverpaw was a good tracker like her father, Cloudtail, who was Autumnpaw's mentor. The apprentice flicked her tail dismissively, knowing it wasn't the time or place. She was supposed to be hunting.

Autumnpaw padded along slowly, carefully placing each paw in front of the other. She spotted a hole just as she was about to step into it. Autumnpaw realized that it belonged to a rabbit. She wasn't going to go inside, so she stuck her nose in it. The rabbit scent was pretty strong, but Autumnpaw could tell the rabbit wasn't there. It was there recently, though. She found that there was a scent trail leading from it, showing that the rabbit did leave. The scent trail was fresh, too. The wind blew toward Autumnpaw, and she was thankful it hadn't blown her scent in the direction of where the rabbit went.

"Mouse dung!"

Autumnpaw glanced up to see Silverpaw. The wind must of blown her scent toward a rabbit, the same one Autumnpaw was tracking. The rabbit bolted in her direction, not knowing she was there. Autumnpaw thought it was going to run right into her claws. It realized she was there, but it was too late. Autumnpaw pounced on the rabbit, killing it with a bite to the neck. The prey went limp. Silverpaw ran up to where Autumnpaw stood.

"Good teamwork." Dovesong said.

The apprentices turned around to see the warrior looking at them, with a proud look in her blue eyes. Autumnpaw wondered if Dovesong knew that they hadn't really planned to work together. Dovesong took the rabbit from Autumnpaw, because it was a bit heavy. Silverpaw and Autumnpaw padded along behind Dovesong. Autumnpaw was still puzzled, until Dovesong turned around and gave her a look that told Autumnpaw that she'd said it because she didn't want Silverpaw to feel bad. Autumnpaw completely understood and flicked her ears to show Dovesong she got the message.

"So, what did I miss?" Autumnpaw asked, remembering that Silverpaw said she wanted to catch up.

"Oh, well, Graystripe and Sandstorm retired to the elders' den." Silverpaw said.

"I hope she's not too cranky. We're the ones who have to take care of the elders." Autumnpaw replied with amusement.

Silverpaw nodded her head in agreement. The three ThunderClan cats soon arrived back at the WindClan camp. Dovesong padded toward the fresh kill pile to drop off the rabbit and Silverpaw said she was going to tell Sandpaw and Graypaw that they caught a rabbit. Autumnpaw padded over to Dovesong.

"Thanks for making sure I didn't say anything. I know Silverpaw would've felt bad if you or I did." Autumnpaw said.

"It's not your fault, Autumnpaw. But I will tell you, Silverpaw missed you while you were gone. I guess Sandpaw did so much that he went after you. You have such loyal friends." Dovesong replied.

Autumnpaw purred. She hadn't realized how much her friends, or her Clanmates, really cared about her. She knew she just believed Harespring too much, and let her feelings get the best of her. Autumnpaw promised herself that of her friends were this loyal to her, she was going to be just as loyal right back.

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**It took me so long to write this. I had quite the case of writer's block. But I finally finished! Anywho, now we see that Autumnpaw realizes just how much her Clanmates care about her. Not sure about the next chapter, though, but I promise I'll try and update soon. Also, so happy the line is back on the toolbar. Makes life easier for me.**


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